Mike Aresco introduced as new Big East commissioner, says 'conference will be stronger than ever before'

Noah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerIf new Big East commissioner Mike Aresco is successful in negotiating a more lucrative television contract, schools like Rutgers and South Florida could stand to receive double the money they already take in under the Big East's current television football deal with ESPN.

NEW YORK — Mike Aresco hadn't been officially officially introduced as the fourth commissioner in Big East Conference history for more than 10 seconds, when he forgot the one thing he needed most to go on with his opening remarks. Inside the dimly-lit ballroom on the 11th floor of the New York Athletic Club Wednesday morning, Aresco patted the right breast of his suit three times, before turning to his right to look at the table.

He quickly scooped up his glasses before proceeding.

"I'm going blind in service of the Big East," he quipped, adjusting the brown specs on the end of his nose.

The Big East certainly hopes he doesn't. Not with arguably the most crucial juncture in conference history on the horizon. Aresco, a veteran television executive of over three decades, is being counted on as the man with the perfect vision to help guide the league from an 11-month period of tumult to lasting stability.

And Wednesday, in his introductory press conference, the 62-year old Aresco made it clear that he wouldn't be stepping into the commissioner's chair if he wasn't sure the Big East was a viable league in the world college athletics.

"I think people may not have notice — that when the Big East reconstituted itself, adding superb institutions in football and basketball — the conference now has a national reach," Aresco said. "I think the conference will be stronger than ever before. I fully believe that."

Next step for Aresco? Immediately getting to work on helping the Big East get the best television deal when its negotiating window with current partner, ESPN, opens on Sept. 1. If a deal is not struck with ESPN by Nov. 1, the Big East will become a free-agent conference — and be able to take its product to the open market. There have been rumblings that NBC-Comcast may be looking to get involved — given the network's expanded number of platforms and dearth of available broadcast windows — which could drive the league's per-team price up.

One person familiar with the Big East's per-team worth as a football conference, said that the league could stand to double or triple its current value of $6 million per team — given the right package. However, if a new network inks the Big East to a lucrative deal there is a chance that all the teams will have to sign over their individual broadcast rights as part of the contract. That would provide extra insurance to the network and Big East, should a school decide to defect to another league.

The person did not want to speak publicly about the matter since negotiations have not yet begun with ESPN or other networks.

Given all of that potential chaos that Aresco — who will earn a reported salary of over $1 million — inherits on his first day on the job on Sept. 1, his television background will certainly come in handy.

"We had no concerns about that," Greg Williams, president of the University of Cincinnati and chair of the commissioner search committee, said about selecting Aresco so close to the opening of the Sept. 1 negotiating window. "Our feeling was that he was well-prepared to take on the challenges that are going to develop and in the future, in terms of the Big East's negotiations."

It won't be all about the television deal for Aresco, however. The league's new head man said that there are "no plans" to move the Big East out of its longtime headquarters in Providence to New York City — something which has been questioned given the close proximity to the television networks.

But make no mistake: The next 16 days for Aresco will be preparing for the following 61. The Big East's new commissioner knows his conference is standing at a crossroads. He, like those who chose him for the job, feel that he can see everything with perfect clarity.

Glasses or no glasses.

"I think the key to realignment is making this a strong conference," Aresco said. "To have good communication. I think things have obviously settled down. And I look forward, over the next couple months, to ensure that the Big East is not only financially secure, but make sure that we have the cooperation of all of our teams."